Modern Romance March 2021 Book 5-8 Carol Marinelli (ebook reader computer txt) 📖

And with his ship’s incredible speed, it was only a short time later that he sent the command to set anchor.

His personal assistant met them, boarding immediately with the change of clothing he’d ordered for Helene. With just seven days for his seduction, he didn’t want any of it to be uncomfortable...even just for the duration of the drive to Caline, his ducal manor.

Visible from the docks, Caline, his home, jutted out from the hillside overlooking the bend in the river and the entire city of Calla, high above the city. Reaching it by foot was an uphill undertaking along an ancient trail under the best of circumstances, even if the journey was breathtakingly beautiful. Attempting it at the end of a long day, which had included an unexpected bout of sparring with one of the world’s best soldiers and running headlong into her unexpected little vow, was not, however, the best of circumstances, and so he called a car for them.

Tonight he would wine and dine her in the privacy and seclusion of home, before he took her out to charm her with his city.

Helene’s expression, however, upon opening the delicately packaged garment box brought by his assistant, did not suggest his seduction was off to an auspicious beginning.

She held up a simple dress—blue, flowing and long. Her lips pursed and she drew her eyebrows together, her opinion obvious, and he had to hold back his laugh.

“Not your style?” he asked, unable to keep the amusement from his voice. She had revealed multiple facets in their short time together, but this was the first he was seeing the spoiled daughter.

But she was not in the mood to be more revealing, or had recalled her manners, it seemed, because she just flared her nostrils and looked around, for a place to change he presumed.

Indicating the door that led to his closet, he held both his smile and comment. Whatever she didn’t like about the dress, he wouldn’t press. His seduction efforts stopped at comforting a woman over her clothing.

Clothes were a means to an end, not meant for emotional investment.

And, like everything he’d seen her in, when she returned draped in the clean hanging of the dress, she was beautiful.

His assistant had included a pair of strappy leather sandals, as he’d instructed. She couldn’t arrive barefoot.

As he’d anticipated, the sandals were forgiving for his guess on size. Unlike the dress she’d worn upon their meeting, this was made of breezy cotton—local, if he was not mistaken—and would allow her far greater freedom of movement. She should be relieved.

She did not look relieved.

As lovely as she was, Grecian and elegant, he was reminded of his younger sister, Nya, on the occasions their mother had forced her to dress up.

He almost laughed, but held back, and instead offered her his arm. “Shall we?”

For a moment, he wondered if she would take it, but she did not disappoint, shrugging away whatever displeasure she had with her attire to rest her arm on his. As usual, there was a jolt on contact.

He led her onshore and into the sleek black car that waited for them.

They rode in a comfortable quiet and he realized it was the first truly settled stretch of time they’d had since their meeting. In fact, when he thought back, it was the first settled stretch of time he could remember in years. It seemed like peace might finally be his in less than seven days. What would that feel like? He was ready to find out.

They pulled up the hill and into the curved stone driveway at Caline’s entrance. She marveled as they exited the car, but he did not slow for a tour—they would have time for that tomorrow. Tonight was about rest, relaxation and recuperation, completely free of pressure. He wanted her supple and easy and off her guard before he set to work.

After they’d shared a kiss that had her redefining the word, Hel had expected Drake to launch a full-blown-seduction onslaught, assuming he would waste no time, or his newfound advantage, in his effort to budge her from her vow. Because an advantage was certainly what he’d proved he had with that kiss—he had an advantage strong enough to rip her from the shore and cast her out to sea. So she would need to remain on her guard, to take seriously the threat he posed to her defenses, as mesmerizing as he was.

She had mentally prepared for it throughout the nerve-racking ride to the manor—nerve-racking not because the drive was treacherous or road conditions dangerous, but because the effect he had on her was amplified by being in a dark, comfortable confined space together. She would need to avoid kissing, and touching, at all costs.

If this was attraction, it was a wonder anyone got anything done. The relentless drive of her mind to focus on the object of her interest certainly explained some of her cousin’s more asinine behavior when it came to his wife.

But she sensed none of that from Drake.

In fact, he was behaving as if the matter had gone from his mind entirely.

He had not tried to impress her with his manor, though the glimpses she’d caught had impressed her nonetheless as he’d all but marched her through the grand manse to a small, secluded balcony, the archway leading into it picturesquely framed by blooming flowering vines and soft twilight. Centered in the picture, as if intended for a still life or a movie scene, was a lovely round table, set for two with wineglasses, bread, cheese, charcuterie and fruit. Her stomach growled.

Drake laughed, “I had a feeling you would be hungry. We’ll eat. After that, I’ve kept our evening simple—massages, followed by rest. Tough as you are, you’ve had a lot to process today.” His smile was warm, friendly, with no trace of teasing fire.

The juxtaposition from his demeanor earlier—flirtatious, wild—was enough to put her off balance. Hot and cold, the unfamiliar territory was disorienting to say